Loft boards for new build

sdavlaws said:
You might want to check with your house builder what your ceiling is designed to carry, the standard storage load is only 250N/m2. These systems with a layer of sheeting can easily be eating into a significant amount of that before you put anything up there.
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What's that in real money?

Tbh the amount of stuff i've heard from various people on the site that contradicts other people I wouldn't trust much that they say.

First thing they said before I even got in the house on moving day was 'dont store anything in the loft as it will get damp'...thanks for telling me sooner like.

The area I'm doing is over another internal wall so it has some extra there, rather than just being slap in the middle of the ceiling. It's less than a handful of sheets ATM anyway :)
 
My house is a 99 build and I've got loads of stuff up there now its been fine. Tbf there did used to be a water tank up there which I've since had removed so anything particularly heavy can be be put where that was. Not sure on weights but it will definitely be lighter than a full water tank was. Obviously don't go absolutely mad with it but I think the chances of your ceilings coming down are pretty slim.

Another storage option depending the size and construction of your roof is to create shelves between the trusses. Basically fix some wooden battens across them at a suitable height and place shelves on top. A lot of my stuff is actually stored on these now rather than on the boards.
 
EH75 said:
My house is a 99 build and I've got loads of stuff up there now its been fine. Tbf there did used to be a water tank up there which I've since had removed so anything particularly heavy can be be put where that was. Not sure on weights but it will definitely be lighter than a full water tank was. Obviously don't go absolutely mad with it but I think the chances of your ceilings coming down are pretty slim.

Another storage option depending the size and construction of your roof is to create shelves between the trusses. Basically fix some wooden battens across them at a suitable height and place shelves on top. A lot of my stuff is actually stored on these now rather than on the boards.
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Aye I've seen that done, I'll ask the site manager today anyway and see what he comes up with.

This place doesn't have a water tank so its never had that load, and judging by how much the first floor flexes anyway I doubt it will want much on it, hence me doing it where there's internal walls at least. Like I say, don't intend on putting loads up there.
 
Used loftlegs and wickes loftboards in my new-build. Predrilling the loftlegs is definitely worth doing. As is pre-fitting the screws. Then you just powerdrive them in.

I then put shelves inside the v-trusses, using regular batten wood and more loftboards. A laser lever clamped to an upright is really helpful in getting the battens level. Battens went across the V not from one V to the next.

If I was doing it again, I'd probably use timber noggins between the joists to strengthen before loftlegging up.
 
skyripper said:
Used loftlegs and wickes loftboards in my new-build. Predrilling the loftlegs is definitely worth doing. As is pre-fitting the screws. Then you just powerdrive them in.

I then put shelves inside the v-trusses, using regular batten wood and more loftboards. A laser lever clamped to an upright is really helpful in getting the battens level. Battens went across the V not from one V to the next.

If I was doing it again, I'd probably use timber noggins between the joists to strengthen before loftlegging up.
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Probably would, but theres so much insulation up there (more than the last house as it was older) i'd get lost in a cloud of fibre glass I think haha
 
Big plus one with this ....

Semple said:
One big tip i learned pretty quickly, pre-screw all the legs you're going to use. It's a massive faff being up in the loft, trying to hold the insulation up, whilst balancing on a joist, and trying to hold a loft leg in place at the same time as lining a screw up.
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I went cheap and cheerful with loft legs and boards from one of the sheds. Before starting I wasn’t convinced but was surprised how sturdy it all felt as I cracked on.
 
Ended up going the loft leg route, starting off small as I don't want to put loads up there in all honesty anyway.

Went with the taller legs as it's two layers of insulation so the smaller ones would have been touching, would rather have more breathing space then less.

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Thank you for the recommendations.
 
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